Toy



G. G. BEITHON.

TOY.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 28. I919.

1,345,343 Patented July 6, 192() EIE=. l 2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

gag, WITNESS: IN VENTOR.

A 'I'TORNI'I Y.

" G. G. BEITHUN.

TOY.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 28, I919.

INVFNTOR BY 51;. B fiiwn/ ATTORNEY .M Hw h a 8 4! Z 5 W/N 7a 4 5 3 F; w w 5 IL 11H. 5 3 u 6 3 5 9 7 w 2 a 2 WITNESS: @W

connected therewith hanging from its UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GILBERT G. BEITHON, OF BISMARCK, NORTH DAKOTA.

TOY.

Specification of To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GILBERT BEITHON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bismarck, in the county of Burleigh and State of North Dakota, have invented new and useful Improvements in Toys, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to toys and has for its object the provision of a toycomprising a supporting block adapted t0 b6 secured upon a rigid supportand having by flexible members in the same manner as the well known tumbling blocks, a second block formed to simulate an acrobat, this second block being movable whereby it will assume different positionsfeet or its hands and there by giving the effect of a trapeze performer.

An important object is the provision of a device of this character which is provided with an actuating string whereby the device may be operated from a distant room where by to mystify the observers, the movable block constituting the performer having connected therewith a sliding block mounted in the stationary supporting block where by this sliding block will serve as a fulcrum for properly starting off the performer when the operating'strlng 1S. pulled.

An additional object is the provision of a toy of this character which will be simple and inexpensive in manufacture, which may be very readily operated by an unskilled person, which will be highly amusing and entertaining in its nature, and a general improvement in the art.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view, the invention consists in the details of construction to. be hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of my device secured upon a ceiling,

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional View with the performer hanging from his hands,

Fig. 3 is an end view showing the performer hanging from his feet,

Fig. 4 is a side elevation showing a modified form of the device,

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view therethrough.

Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view taken through the sliding block,

Fig. 7 is a bottom plan vlew, and

Letterman] Patented July 6,1920.

1919. semi No. 318,682.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation showing the parts moved to their other position.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, and especially to Figs. 1 to 3, the

numeral 10 designates avblock of any suitable material which is provided with holes through which are passed securing members 11 for holding this block upon a ceiling.

Secured at one end upon this block by tacks 12, or the likefare tapes 13 which extend in spaced parallel relation along the underside of the block 10. Associated with this supporting block is another block 14 which is sawed out or otherwise formed 'to simulate an acrobat having arms 15 and legs 16. The arms and legs are'connected cross bar 17 "and 18, respectively, and

tlieends of the tapes 13 are securedto the cross bar 17. Securedv at the other end of the. platform block 10 are tapes 19 which are disposed farther apart than the tapes l3 and which are secured at their outer ends upon the cross bar 18. This specific tape connection is the same as that used in the well known tumbling blocks and the effect of this structure is such that the figure i4 ma hang from the ends of the supporting b ock 10 with either end down, that is to say the figure will have the appearance of a trapezeperformer. In the use of the toy the child or other person to be amused may reach up with a stick or the like and move the figure into horizontal position beneath the supportingblock 10 whereupon thev figure will swing from whichever position it previously occupied to its other position, thereby affording amusement.

Referring more particularly to Fi s, 4 to S, I have shown a block 20 which is provided upon its upper side at its ends with cleats 21 through which pass screws or the like 22 which also pass throughthe block 20 whereby the block may be secured upon the ceiling. The central portion of this block is provided with a longitudinal slot 23 within which is disposed the shank 24 of a slidable block 25 which carries a transverse head 26 engaging against the underside of the block 20 for preventing disengagement of the sliding block 25.

Associated with. the block 20 is a figure 27 representing an acrobat and which may be sawed out of a piece of wood or other suitable material and Which includes arms 28 and legs 29 connected, respectively, by cross bars 30 and 31. Secured at one end of the block 20 are the ends of tapes 32 which extend along the underside of the block 20 'and which have their other ends secured upon the cross bar 30. Secured at the other end of the block 20 are the ends of other tapes 33 which have their other ends connected with the cross bar 31. Fromthis construction it will be seen that the figure 27'may be moved with respect to the block 20 in a manner the same as the movement of the well known flexibly connected tumbling blocks. t

In'order that the figure may be moved when desired, I provide a cord or the like 34 which is connected at one end centrally to thefigure 27 and which has its other end secured to the head 26 of the slidable block 25. 'Alsoconnected with the central portion of the figure is an operatingcord 35 which extendsthrough a hole 36 in the block 20 and which may be led to'any desired location, for instance in an adjoining room.

In the operation of the device the operator grasps the cord 35 and pulls upon it whereupon the figure 27 will be swung from a depending position into a substantially horizontal position beneath the block 20 and at the same time the. figure will be rocked upon the head 26 of the sliding block as a fulcrum to cause the fi'gure to move so that the end thereof which was initially the lowermost will then bethe uppermost. When the operator releases tension upon the cord 35 and the figure swings downwardly the cord willpull upon thesliding block 25 and move it to the end of the slot 23 beyond the figure and this movement of the sliding block is of course-automatic. In this way it will be seen thatwhen an operator standing 'in an adjoining room for instance, pulls upon tli'e'cord 35 and then releases tension thereon successively, the figure will be caused to move backand forth, hanging first apparently'from its hands and then apparently fromits feet, and giving the appearance of atrapeze performer. Of course it 18 not necessary that'the cord be operated from a different room, the only reason for such bein to mystify the observers;

/ hile'I- have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is of course to be understood that I reserve the right to make such changes in the form, construction, and arrangement of parts as will not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim V 7 1. A toy of the character described comprising a supporting block adapted to be secured in horizontal position, a slidable member associated with said block and having a projection extending below the bottom face thereof, a figure associated with said block, pairs of flexible members connected at one end to said block and at their other ends to the ends of said figure whereby said figure may be suspended successively from the different ends of said block, a flexible member connected with said sliding member and said figure wherebysaid sliding member will be 7 member serving as a fulcrum when engaged by said figure upon movement thereof into substantially horizontal position, and means 7 for moving said figure.

2 A toy of the character described comprising a supporting block adapted to .be secured in horizontal position, a slidable member associated with saidblock and having a projection extending below the bottom face thereof, a figure associated with said block, pairs of flexible members connected atone end to said block and at their other ends to the ends of said figure whereby said figure may be suspended successively from'the different ends of said block, a flexible member connected with said sliding member and said figure whereby said sliding member will be moved simultaneously with the movement of saidifigure, the pro ection on said sliding member serving as a fulcrum when engaged by said figure upon movement thereof into a substantially horizontal position, and means for movingisaid figure, said means comprising a flexiblemember having one block, and having its other end adapted to be pulled by an operator.

In testimony whereof I aflix mysignature.

GILBERT e. BEITHONQ 

